Crossing the Chasm: Linking with the Virtual World through a Compact Haptic Actuator

Title: Crossing the Chasm: Linking with the Virtual World through a Compact Haptic Actuator

Teams: Facebook

Writers: Pornthep Preechayasomboon, Ali Israr

Publication date: April 25, 2020

Abstract

We present a demonstration of Chasm, a broadband screw-based linear actuator that renders rich and expressive haptic feedback on wearable and handheld devices. Chasm renders low-frequency skin-stretch and high-frequency vibrations, both simultaneously and independently, through a single tactor and thereby augmenting user interactions with multidimensional haptic feedback in a light and compact form factor. We embody Chasm in a marker-shaped prototype and integrate it with a virtual reality headset through a robust software framework for real-time control of haptic features. We develop a set of VR scenarios to demonstrate rich tactile feedback rendered with the handheld marker and augment the user experience with feeling of impacts, textures, object stiffness and weight on the hand.